Electronic device and method for correcting time-domain reflectometers

Abstract

In an electronic device and a method of correcting time-domain reflectometers, two channels of a time-domain reflectometer are connected to a corrector using cables, and the two channels are enabled to transmit pulses. Parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of the two channels are zeroed. Resistance values of the two channels are measured simultaneously, and the value of the parameter Step Deskew of one of the two channels is adjusted according to the Resistance values of the two channels. Times of achieving the same resistance value of the two channels are measured after the cables and the connector have been disconnected, and the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of one of the two channels is adjusted according to the times of achieving the same resistance value. The adjusted values of the parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew are displayed through a display unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of correcting time-domain reflectometers (TDR), wherein each TDR has a plurality of channels, the method comprising:
 (a) connecting two channels of a TDR to a corrector using cables; 
 (b) causing each of the two channels to transmit pulses; 
 (c) zeroing parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of the two channels; 
 (d) measuring a first resistance value of one of the two channels, and simultaneously, measuring a second resistance value of the other one of the two channels; 
 (e) adjusting the value of the parameter Step Deskew of one of the two channels upon the condition that a difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value is beyond a first predetermined tolerance; 
 (f) repeating steps (d) and (e) until the difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value is within the first predetermined tolerance; 
 (g) sending a message containing notification of the disconnection of the cables and the corrector; 
 (h) measuring a first time of achieving a resistance value of one of the two channels, and measuring a second time of achieving the same resistance value, after the cables and the corrector have been disconnected; 
 (i) adjusting the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of one of the two channels upon the condition that a difference between the first time and the second time is beyond a second predetermined tolerance; 
 (j) repeating steps (h) and (i) until the difference between the first time and the second time is within the second predetermined tolerance; 
 (k) repeating steps from (a) to (j) until none of the TDR channels needs to be corrected; and 
 (l) displaying the adjusted values of the parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of all the channels through a display unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as described in  claim 1 , before step (a) further comprising:
 initializing the TDR, to return parameter settings of the TDR to factory values. 
 
     
     
       3. The method as described in  claim 1 , before (b) further comprising:
 sending a message upon the condition that a number of the channels of the TDR connected to the corrector is not two. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as described in  claim 1 , in step (e):
 decreasing the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a lower resistance value, or increasing the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a higher resistance value. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as described in  claim 1 , in step (i):
 decreasing the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs more time to achieve the resistance value, or increasing the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs less time to achieve the resistance value. 
 
     
     
       6. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of correcting a time-domain reflectometers (TDR), each of which has a plurality of channels, the method comprising:
 (a) connecting two channels of a TDR to a corrector using cables; 
 (b) causing each of the two channels to transmit pulses; 
 (c) zeroing parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of the two channels; 
 (d) measuring a first resistance value of one of the two channels, and simultaneously, measuring a second resistance value of the other one of the two channels; 
 (e) adjusting the value of the parameter Step Deskew of one of the two channels upon the condition that a difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value is beyond a first predetermined tolerance; 
 (f) repeating steps (d) and (e) until the difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value is within the first predetermined tolerance; 
 (g) sending a message containing notification of the disconnection of the cables and the corrector; 
 (h) measuring a first time of achieving a resistance value of one of the two channels, and measuring a second time of achieving the same resistance value, after the cables and the corrector have been disconnected; 
 (i) adjusting the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of one of the two channels upon the condition that a difference between the first time and the second time is beyond a second predetermined tolerance; 
 (j) repeating steps (h) and (i) until the difference between the first time and the second time is within the second predetermined tolerance; 
 (k) repeating steps from (a) to (j) until none of the TDR channels needs to be corrected; and 
 (l) displaying the adjusted values of the parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of all the channels through a display unit. 
 
     
     
       7. The non-transitory storage medium d as described in  claim 6 , wherein before step (a) the method further comprises:
 initializing the TDR, to return parameter settings of the TDR to factory values. 
 
     
     
       8. The non-transitory storage medium as described in  claim 6 , wherein before (b) the method further comprises:
 sending a message upon the condition that a number of the channels of the TDR connected to the corrector is not two. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory storage medium as described in  claim 6 , in step (e) of the method:
 decreasing the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a lower resistance value, or increasing the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a higher resistance value. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory storage medium as described in  claim 6 , in step (i) of the method:
 decreasing the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs more time to achieve the resistance value, or increasing the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs less time to achieve the resistance value. 
 
     
     
       11. An electronic device, the electronic device being connected with a time-domain reflectometer (TDR), the TDR having a plurality of channels, the electronic device comprising:
 at least one processor; 
 storage unit; 
 a display unit; 
 one or more programs that are stored in the storage unit and are executed by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising: 
 a channel enablement module to enable two channels, which are connected to a corrector by cables, of the TDR to transmit pulses; 
 a parameter setting module to zero parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of the two channels; 
 a measurement module to measure a first resistance value of one of the two channels, and simultaneously, measure a second resistance value of the other one of the two channels, during the two channels are connected to the corrector by the cables, and further to measure a first time of achieving a resistance value of one of the two channels, and measure a second time of achieving the same resistance value of the other one of the two channels, after the cables and the corrector have been disconnected; 
 a comparison module to compare a difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value with a first predetermined tolerance, and to compare a difference between the first time and the second time with a second predetermined tolerance; 
 a parameter setting module to adjust the value of the parameter Step Deskew of one of the two channels, upon the condition that the difference between the first resistance value and the second resistance value is beyond the first predetermined tolerance, and to adjust the values of the parameter Channel Deskew of one of the two channels upon the condition the difference between the first time and the second time is beyond the second predetermined tolerance; and 
 a display module to display the adjusted values of the parameters Step Deskew and Channel Deskew of all the channels through the display unit, after all the channels have been corrected. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device as described in  claim 11 , further comprises:
 an initialization module to initialize the TDR  2  to return parameter settings of the TDR to factory values. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device as described in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a determination module to determines if a number of the channels connected to the corrector by the cables is two; and 
 a prompt module to send a message upon the condition that less than or more than two channels are connected to the corrector by the cables. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device as described in  claim 13 , wherein the prompt module further to send a message containing notification of the disconnection of the cables and the corrector. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device as described in  claim 11 , wherein the parameter setting module decreases the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a lower resistance value, or increases the value of the parameter Step Deskew of the channel that has a higher resistance value. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device as described in  claim 11 , wherein the parameter setting module decreases the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs more time to achieve the resistance value, or increases the value of the parameter Channel Deskew of the channel that needs less time to achieve the resistance value.